Is There a Recipe for Being Good or Bad?

Over the years of my owning a Jewish Book and Judaica store, I have seen and heard many things. Some of the things I have heard give me pause; I have had some people come in and browse, and tell me, "G-d doesn't care what I eat - all I have to do is be a good person..."

Is this really true?  Do what we put into our mouths not matter?

Let's think about it for a moment: If great sportsmen and sportswomen, for example, eat a special diet so they can perform well in their sport, and people who are health conscious eat foods to make them feel healthy - or better yet - if someone changes his or her diet because of a heart condition, say, or being overweight - then diet must be important, right?  Why do they make these diet changes? Don't they make them so that they can perform at their peak, live healthier, longer, and consequently happier lives?

There are over 44 million web pages with the phrase "you are what you eat"!

• What do people eat if they want to be religious?
• What is the difference between Jewish Cooking and Kosher Cooking?

Does What You Eat Affect the Way You Think and Act?

If a person's judgment can be clouded by what he consumes, for example, alcohol or drugs--can eating "treif" (non-kosher food) have similar harmful effects?

The expression "eating like a pig" -- does it not evoke an image about an individual's personal behavior?

Free Will

The question begs to be asked: What role does food play in our lives?  Is it only a momentary, fleeting thing to satisfy hunger and to cause biological functions to occur?  People who do good in this world...where did they get the physical and spiritual strength to perform those acts? Or the opposite: where do people who do evil get the physical and spiritual strength to commit those acts?

If Lance Armstrong ate foods to help him win the Tour De France - What do I have to eat to win, or elevate my spiritual soul?

I can't believe Lance Armstrong didn't believe what he ate all year long--and especially the night before the race-- wouldn't affect his chances of winning... nor can I believe anyone thinks that any athlete just wins 'by accident.'

What Does the Word "Recipe" Mean?

• A set of directions with a list of ingredients for making or preparing something, especially food.
• A formula for, or a means to a desired end: "a recipe for success."

How much more important is this for someone who wants to love G-d with all his or her heart, mind and strength?